I've always loved greyhounds and have been talking about it for a long time but my husband was leery abot getting a second dog. We already have an English Cocker Spaniel. SO he really surprised me on Friday when he came home and said let's go ahead and do it! We went to the rescue kennel on Sunday and saw about 6 dogs. We took our Cocker with us to make sure they'd get on together. Oh wow, this new dog, who we are calling Darcy, is the sweetest dog! And he's so smart, too. People tend to think greyhounds are aggressive and high-strung but that's far from the truth. They've actually had all the aggression bred out of them for racing purposes and Darcy is very chilled out and spends alot of time asleep. They also don't need as much exercise as you'd think and 2 half hour walks a day are sufficient, one in the morning and one in the evening. They get on well with other animals though have to be trained to accept a cat (as they are bred and trained to chase small furry things!).
If you are interested in an intelligent, loyal, affectionate dog, then please considering adopting an ex-racer. Darcy was just pulled from the track last week as he had gone lame (for racing, not noticeable when walking and playing) and we took him home yesterday but many greyhounds languish in kennels waiting for a good home. This dog is so sweet-natured that he lays his head on my lap and cuddles. I've bonded with him already!
Our petsmart had an adoption event the weekend before last and one of the adoption groups there was a greyhound group. I had seen greyhounds before because I knew someone who adopted a couple but I forgot how big they are! My little 30 lb dog didn't know what to make out of them She went up to one and they sniffed before she decided she wanted to head the other way.
I do like greyhounds and think they are pretty good dogs although I'm more of a medium sized dog girl
i love greyhouds..i use to work with them years ago in a job at the vet school. They are great loving dogs that usually become big couch potatoes once they settle into the home. I think my next dog will be an greyhound that i adopt. I just have to find one that likes cats...some do and some dont. Its sort of hard to break the ones off a track from wanting to chase small fuzzy objects. Congrats on your new family member. THEY ARE AWESOME AND LOVING DOGS!
I have a friend who adopted an italian greyhound from a greyhound rescue. The italian greyhound and the whippet are sometimes called miniature greyhounds.
Italian greyhound 12 - 15"
Whippet about 20"
Greyhound 25 - 30"
When my friend rescued their italian greyhound, the rescue group made him promise not to get a much bigger dog as a companion for italian greyhound. The dog they chose was small for even an IG, and the rescue said that IG's don't know their size and will often initiate rough play with bigger dogs and actually can break their very thin leg bones rough housing with the big dogs (at least that's what they were told).
I've always loved all of the sight hounds, and have always wanted an IG or borzoi (the long-haired russian wolfhound).
kaplods..i would never get a italian greyhound...i swear they break too easy. I have a friend who had one jump off a normal size couch and break her leg. Those dogs are cute...but wayyyyy to delicate for me. Its like a china figurine...i'd be afraid of tripping over the dog and breaking it. LOL.
I thought the same thing when I saw my friend's dog in person. He was the tiniest thing I'd ever seen, and he has those tremors that you sometimes see small dogs like chihuahua's get (what is that, by the way. Is it a neurological disorder, or are they cold?)
When I was a kid, we had two families in our neighborhood with tiny itsy-bitsy dogs. One whas a yorkie about the size of a tail-less squirrel (she was so small, the owner followed after her with only a kleenex for pooper-scooping). The other family, had a black teacup poodle. If it couldn't fit in a teacup, I guarantee that it could have fit in a coffee mug. I've always wondered how people keep freakishly small dogs safe.
Oops, I guess the IG wasn't the tiniest thing I'd seen, because he was much bigger than the two other dogs I them mentioned. I think my friend said he (the dog, not my friend) weighed 11 or 12 lbs. The yorkie and poodle were each under 3 lbs, I'm sure.
I've always wondered how people keep freakishly small dogs safe.
Easily. Those dogs' feet never touch the ground. *eyeroll*
Sorry, but my BIGGEST pet peeve about small dog owners is that they carry those things everywhere. You can tell who is a small dog person that's owned big dogs because they let their grow up on the ground
Hi, all! Another "greyhound mom" here. I'm with CygnetC on this subject. There will always be a greyhound (or 3, as now) gracing my couch as well.
As for the IGs -- they are actually a different breed altogether (and I think that, technically, they fall into the category of terriers) so their temperaments and health issues (including longevity) aren't really related to their bigger "cousins". I'm not advocating for or against the IGs...just imparting a bit of info, for what it's worth.
--Sue
As for the IGs -- they are actually a different breed altogether (and I think that, technically, they fall into the category of terriers) so their temperaments and health issues (including longevity) aren't really related to their bigger "cousins". I'm not advocating for or against the IGs...just imparting a bit of info, for what it's worth.
And REAL greyhounds are WAY cooler!
They definitely have their own set of issues, being as they are not born to be pets - they have to learn how to be pets, live in a home, deal with other animals, deal with everything that a "normal" pet has dealt with from birth. But wow, they are just such sweet & loving animals. I'll never have another breed again...
Adopt a greyhound!
She went up to one and they sniffed before she decided she wanted to head the other way. 
